The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-14
SOME VERY PLAIN WORDS.
AN OPEN LETTER FROM ]. F. STOKES
TO G. p. MELCHOIR.
A Vigorous Denunciation of SANDER
Gus Publication, and Some Cold Facts
Presented for the Consideration of
the Bolivar County Miss. Democracy.
George p. Melchoir

printed ClrCuiHl, WITHOUT uhtc, w NnlCl
your name is attached, came to
my hands. From its dirty frothi-
ness discover two complaints against me.
~ That / entrapped you politically in
1885. (2) That furnished for public Use
a private letter. Both complaints are
false, and were known by you to be false
when you penned, or had penned, the let
ter in which you so vulgarly display your
self
When, on message from me, you came
10 my Office in 1883, | told you | thought
the time opportunc TO unite the Demo
cratic party in the county, and that had
sent for YOU for that purpose; that despite
your profession of Republicanism, ! had
ocen repeatedly informed you were, in
TACT, Democrat. TO this you assentcd,
and asked what l proposed. | told YOU
he peoples mass-mecting should be
converted into democratic mass-mcot-
ng, and that both you and George Scott
should be nominees on the ticket; Scott
having been nominated for sheriff by the
executive committee, the same place should
Oe given him by the mass-mccting Iou
asked what place would be given you. |
replied circuit court clerk or treasurer, as
you might prefer. You said there was not
4 living for you in either office. told
you that you owed it to your relations,
who are among the best people in the
county, and your friends to make tempo
ary sacrifice TO unite the party and end
three wrangles. You said you. would sub
init the matter To some relatives and
friends that night and give me an answer
he next morning. Mai. r. =. Duncan
was present The next morning you
called ~ YOU returned home and said that
your friends would not consent that YOU
should have lower place on the ticket
than Mr., Scott, and you assigned no OTHER
reason for declining the arrangement. |
met you casually twice attCrward, and
again on election day, but not again, ~ |
now remember. until the barbecue at Con-
cordia on September ., 1887.
After the election OF 1885, in common
with NV neighbors, ! was disguised with
the result, and drew up a letter employing
Col. Montgomery, as our counsel, Ia resist
the qualification oil the negroes elected.
This paper was very numcrouSly signed.
Judging from your conversation with me,
that YOU were In fact with ms, drew up n
paper to be signed by YOU. indorsngt hcpcti-
ton signed by your ncighbOrs, also 81 ting
forth the dcbauchcrics OF negro politics,
and Your disgust for il rs well rs your de
termination never again 10 oppose u Demo
cratic nominee, butte cooperate in uniting
the white people. This open letter sent
you for your signature hy Mr. James Witt.
You returned IL without your signature,
accompanied by YOUR letter OF November
~, 1885, and sent me bv Mr.. Witt YER
bal message Of similar import. | then sent
the oren letter to Mr. j. II. stafford, writ
ing him in an accompanying letter Ol some
length. that in order 10 secure Democratic
uniLyin the county, YOU must sign the open
LETTER sincerely, intending all that Il con
tanned, und by nn uncquiyOcal act cut
yourself loose from the negroes, and
shortly ailcrward this open letter was ne
turned a. me signed by YOU. There wa-
nothing private, privileged or confidential
about the matter from first 10 list, and mo
one knows this fact better than yourcli
A few DAYS since Mr. Charles Scott
wrote me asking for this letter, which q
committee OF your neighJors had read a.
him In 1885, together with the letter signed
by them. | wrote him that | did not hay,
Il; that Mr.. Stafford took possession Of II
after reading il 20 him. But ! sent him
YOUR letter OF November -, 1881. What
lac did with II, and whether done clan
destinely or otherwise. neither know MOI
care. II WIS perfectly leg innate campaign
material against a pretended RepubiiCII
nominee, and as such | suppose lac ha:
used II.
II is true that IN 1885 I warmly sup
ported Frank Acre. but il is falls that
directly or indirectly agreed 90 make al
assist in making any official bond Ia that
racc. II il also true that up to the actor
Of the recent county Democratic conycn
ton supporicdJ II Stafford, but the Ia
sinuaiion i maliciously false that | cyCi
praCticcd any deception OF him or You, or
Tor that matter. ON ANYBODY else. hnN,
never bothered my brain rs 10 whether
am success or failure politically IN Tia.
county know ! ought 10 succeed in m!
aim. aud that is enough. From the d.yo
my advent 10 the county my every cliur
in politics has been snnct fled hyan canct
desire to unite aud render efficient IN til
community the Democratic party, which ]
not only my political faith, but .ar MOI
important civilizations only shongho''
IN this locality. II only failure las ai
ended my efforts, ii is the morc - uc r.
rrrtted. The cause / have tried 10 suV
Is holy one beyond any doubt. ard
shall continue dilgcnt IN H. scryirc.
have never sought Office or desired u.
Judged by all the political tests Vi whiCl
have amy knowledge, regard { 'orsc !
Scott ~ the Democratic nominee "a
sheriff in this county and bee ,usc Of I'll
tact intend TO vote for him. In IT,
npinion | am sustained Wy the hshc.
p.llscnl authority in the state the stat
.,arl. uisa little odd, however, that
pretended Republican candidate shO,
call me to task about H.
Inconclusion, get thcopcn letter siguc
by Won in 1855, addressed 10 Col Mon
vamcry. and when YOU have obisincd
print Il. Allow the white people On 81
nprtunity 10 compare it, contents wit
your recent letter, aud let the negroes D.
how earnest an advocate al white rule "
were in those days. II Is not ! that ~
trapped YOU: YOU are caught IN the mcshI
which q tricky fellow, devoid alike Of COZ
yiciion or ~ inciplc, ever wcaycs aroun
himself for his own downfall Your dg
las pass a forever IN tie pol,tr oi EoI
var county. Recently y Democratic Pre-
idcnt, IN the flush Of victory, did install
nerro as recorder OF deeds in Washingtc
Civ, and Il would poorly become mcr
her of that race, In view Of this fact,
heed the inconsistent, dirty pmttlc II
man who. nj the touch OF his own sclhs
ness or hate, IL Democrptor Republican,
the weather yane vccrito snitthe changii
wind. JANE 4. Stokes.
........-...ll Nj. nci " lA.-